jalapeño popper grilled cheese sandwiches

Ok guys, I know it's been awhile but I am so excited about this recipe. I wasn't sure what to call this recipe because it has all of the makings of a good jalapeño popper: roasted jalapeños, cheese and bacon but I used pimento cheese instead of cream cheese. I know I know, I fancied up a classic. And I love a classic grilled cheese sandwich with white bread and american cheese but this one was a nice change. I mean the bread is even jalapeño cheddar, it doesn't get much better than that! I made the pimento cheese from scratch but you could totally use store bought pimento cheese to cut down on ingredients and time. I would definitely recommend Whole Foods pimento cheese, it has gouda in it...so good! And despite the 90 degree weather in Charlotte right now, I served these sandwiches with healthy tomato soup and it hit the spot. 

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

makes 4 sandwiches

for the Pimento cheese: 

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 cup mayonaisse

1/4 cup pimentos, drained

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 jalapeño, diced (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

for the sandwiches:

10 jalapeños, seeded and cut in half lengthwise

8 slices of thick cut bacon, cooked

8 slices Cheddar Jalapeño bread, sliced (I used La Brea from Harris Teeter)

3 tablespoons butter, softened 

Using an electric mixer, mix together all of the pimento cheese ingredients until well blended. Set aside.

Cook the bacon according to the package instructions and set aside.

Place the jalapeño peppers on a baking sheet with the cut side facing down. Place the baking sheet on the top shelf of the oven and broil the jalapeños until the skin has blackened, about 5 to 9 minutes. Once blackened, place the peppers in a zip-lock bag and cool them for 15 to 20 minutes. Once cooled, remove the blackened skins from the peppers.

Butter the outside of 8 slices of bread and then spread the pimento cheese, jalapeños and bacon on each sandwich. Heat a non-stick grill pan over medium heat and grill each sandwich until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. 

Serve immediately. 

And for my Charlotte friends, La Brea bakery is hosting a sampling tour throughout Charlotte in the month of June where you can get complimentary loaves and coupons so be on the lookout around town! 

rice krispy treat macarons

Were you sick of looking at the green juice post for the past 3 months? Yeah, I was too... so I made one of my favorite desserts to help you forget I've been MIA for the past few months. I've been day dreaming about macarons ever since I made the cinnamon biscoff macarons last year. But why do they have to take so long to make (like 2 plus hours)? When I started doing some research online, I realized there were lots of abbreviated macaron recipes out there.

I decided to go for it and cut the following steps out of this recipe: I didn't let my egg whites age or get to room temperature, didn't sift the dry ingredients three times and didn't let them sit out 45 minutes to dry. By cutting all of these steps out, these macarons took less than hour start to finish. 

And I can honestly say these were just as good as the cinnamon biscoff macarons that took me double the time to make. The rice krispy macaron shells were perfectly crispy and chewy and the marshmallow fluff buttercream is seriously heaven, so fluffy and creamy. 

Rice Krispy Treat Macarons

makes 25 macaron sandwiches

for the macarons:

45 grams finely ground up rice krispies

200 grams powdered sugar

65 grams almond meal/flour

95 grams egg whites (I didn't use room temperature)

35 grams granulated sugar

for the marshmallow fluff buttercream:

1/2 cup room temperature butter, softened 

3.5 ounces (1/2 jar) of marshmallow fluff

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup crushed rice krispies

Preheat the oven to 280°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Print the macaron template here and slide this under the parchment paper (don't forget to remove it before you slide the macarons in the oven!). 

Pulse rice krispies, powdered sugar and almond meal together in a food processor until it forms a fine powder. Sift 1 time and set dry mixture aside in a large bowl.

In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment add your weighed out egg whites and granulated sugar beating on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, it will take about 4-5 minutes. 

Fold the stiff egg whites into the dry mixture, mixing only until combined. 

Transfer batter to a large pastry bag fitted with small round pastry tip and pipe rounds onto parchment paper using your macaron template. Hold the pastry bag straight up and squeeze straight down and let the batter form a circle on it's on. If you want to smooth the small peaks in the center of the cookies, wet your finger with water and lightly push down on the peaks to ensure smooth, flat macarons. 

Once you have piped all the macarons, light bang the cookie sheets on the counter to release any air bubbles in the cookies.

Bake macarons for 20-22 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet, do not fill them until they have completely cooled. 

To make the buttercream filling:

Cream the butter and marshmallow fluff together. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and scrape down sides of the bowl after each addition. Lastly add vanilla and crushed rice krispies and beat until creamy. Pipe filling onto a cooled macaron shell and sandwich with another shell and repeat until all shells are used. 

Store the macarons in the fridge and let them sit out for 10-15 minutes before serving. 

Recipe adapted from Picky Palate

green juice {in a blender}

Currently, this green juice is one of my favorite things. Don't let the color scare you, the taste makes up for the color (kinda?). You would never know this juice was packed with kale because it tastes like freshly squeezed green apple juice, lemon and a hint of cucumber. I got curious about green juice after hearing so much about juice cleanses. I've never attempted a juice cleanse but for how much I enjoy this green juice, I can't say I'd hate it. I love drinking all of those fruit/veggie juices they sell in grocery stores, like Naked juices, because they make me feel like I'm getting a decent serving of veggies (and yes, lots of sugar). And because I'm always looking for ways to eat more veggies, I decided to give homemade juice a try.

So this is where I tell you, I don't have a juicer. Obviously, I would love a juicer one day but they are so expensive! After a little research, I decided to try making green juice in my Vitamix and it worked surprisingly well. By using a blender, I have to take an extra step and strain the mixture to get the juice but I tell myself that a blender is much easier to clean than a juicer so it's a fair trade off.

Just a few notes:

If you want to drink the juice immediately than use cold fruits and veggies, your juice will taste so much better!

Also, this juice can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, making it a perfect grab and go breakfast.

And you will have about a cup of pulp leftover which I save and add to my smoothies during the week.

Now go make and love green juice, you can't use the 'I don't have a juicer' excuse anymore.

Green Juice {in a blender}
makes 1 serving

6 kale leaves, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1 green apple, diced
1 cucumber, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1/2 lemon, peeled

Add cucumber, celery, kale, apples and lemon to the blender (in that order) and blend until very smooth (takes about 2 minutes on high with Vitamix). You will need to use a tamper or spoon to get it moving at first.

Strain mixture with a strainer or a cheese cloth. If you don't want any pulp in your juice, strain mixture through twice.

pulled pork mac & cheese

I've always had a thing for mac and cheese or really anything cheesy for that matter. So when the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board asked to create a mac and cheese recipe inspired by a classic dish, the first thing that came to mind was a grilled cheese sandwich. Because, well, it doesn’t get any more classic than a grilled cheese!

This mac and cheese is inspired by one of my favorite grilled cheese sandwiches (from a local Charlotte restaurant), that layers tender pulled pork, cheddar cheese, gruyere cheese and onions between two pieces of buttery Texas toast. Pork and cheese are rarely paired together making this dish such a treat. The pasta is undercooked initially and then baked with caramelized onions, Gruyere/Cheddar cheese sauce, pulled pork, and Texas toast crumbles until it is perfectly creamy and warm. 

Check out the 30 Days 30 Ways Mac & Cheese blog for the next month to see what mac and cheese creations other participating food bloggers came up with. I know I can't wait to try this Pancetta Mac & Cheese Panini.

And check out the breakfast mac and cheese I created for the mac and cheese blog last year!

Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
Serves 6

Ingredients:

12 ounces dried pasta (I used pasta shells)
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons barbeque sauce
3 cups (12 ounces) Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Gruyere Cheese, grated
One 2 lb smoked pork shoulder, pulled (store bought or homemade*)
4 pieces of Texas toast, baked according to package and crumbled

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 6 minutes for shells. Drain and set aside. 

Heat a large pot over medium-low heat. Add 3 tablespoons of butter, olive oil, onions, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown in color and caramelized. Increase heat to medium and stir the flour and 1 tbsp of butter into the onions and whisk constantly for 2-3 minutes to create a roux. Add in milk and barbeque sauce, whisking constantly, and stir for another 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Reduce heat to medium-low and add in grated cheese. Continue to stir until sauce is creamy and cheese has melted. Stir in shells and then pulled pork. Transfer mac and cheese to an oven safe baking dish and sprinkle with Texas toast crumbles. Bake for 15 minutes or until light golden brown. 

*To make the pork at home, put the seasoned pork in a large roasting pan and cover with foil. Roast the pork at 300°F until the meat is falling off the bone, about 5 to 6 hours. Cool until warm enough to handle, about 1 hour. Once cooled, shred the pork by hand into 2 inch pieces.  

To reheat this dish, just add a few tablespoons of milk and stir. 

Disclaimer: this recipe was developed by me for Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board , all opinions are my own.  

30 minute skillet lasagna

In my family, when we eat lasagna we always skip the ricotta and load up on bechamel sauce. Bechamel is a roux made with flour, milk and lots of butter. The thing about bechamel sauce, you have to constantly stir it for close to 30 minutes to get it right. So after living through 20-something years thinking I only liked lasagna with bechamel sauce, I was completely surprised when I couldn't stop eating my grandma's ricotta- filled lasagna a few years ago. Unfortunately, both my mom's and grandma's lasagna recipes take close to an hour just to bake. Whereas this recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make, start to finish...meaning I can make lasagna any night of the week! And for being such a quick dinner, it really has great flavor and can easily be reheated.

Skillet Beef Lasagna 
serves 4

Ingredients:

1 (6.8 ounce) All Natural Jones Golden Beef Sausage Links

8 ounces lasagna noodles, broken into thirds

1 tbsp canola oil

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced 

2 (14.5 oz) cans of Italian diced tomatoes, drained

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

½ cup ricotta cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. 

Prepare sausage according to package directions. Cut links into bite-size pieces and set aside. Cook lasagna noodles according to the package and set aside. Heat a large oven safe skillet (I used a cast iron skillet) over medium heat and add oil. Once oil is hot, add onion and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Stir in diced tomatoes, sausage pieces and lasagna noodles until everything is evenly distributed. Top with sliced mozzarella and scoops of ricotta cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until sauce begins to bubble and cheese has melted. 

Disclaimer: this recipe was developed by me for Jones Dairy Farm, all opinions are my own. 

egg boats

I'm back to my normal routine after being on vacation over Christmas for two whole weeks visiting my family in California. Every morning I was at my parents house, I'd toast a slice of sourdough and top it with pastrami and Havarti for breakfast. I can't tell you how much I loved being able to sit and enjoy a hot breakfast with a fresh cappuccino on a weekday! But now that I'm back at work, I rarely make time to fix myself breakfast during the week so I save all my breakfast cooking (and mimosa drinking) for the weekends. These egg boats are a new breakfast favorite because they literally take less than five minutes to prep. Sourdough baguettes filled with sausage, eggs and lots of cheese, baked until hot and toasty... so so good!

Sausage Egg Boats

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

4 demi sourdough baguettes (I found them in the bakery section of the grocery store)

1 (7 ounce) package of Jones All Natural Golden Spicy Pork Sausage Links

8 eggs

½ cup heavy cream

8 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated

3 green onions, thinly sliced

salt and pepper, to taste 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cut and pull out the middle of all 4 sourdough baguettes, leaving ½ inch of bread in the bottom and on the sides. Set baguettes aside. Prepare sausage according to package directions. Cut links into bite-size pieces and set aside. In a medium bowl, lightly beat together the eggs and the cream. Whisk in remaining ingredients and sausage. Evenly divide and pour the mixture into each baguette boat. Place all 4 baguettes on a baking sheet and bake for 25-28 minutes or until set in the center. Allow boats to cool for 10 minutes, cut and serve. 

Recipe inspired by Spoon Fork Bacon

Disclaimer: this recipe was developed by me for Jones Dairy Farm, all opinions are my own. 

cinnamon biscoff macarons

I bought a kitchen scale over a year ago with all intentions of making macarons. I'd read how long and hard the process of making them could be and kept putting it off because I was so nervous I wouldn't get it right. But with help from my pro macaron-maker mom (through facetime) I made perfectly crispy, soft, chewy macarons on the first try! I couldn't be happier with how these macarons turned out and once you get the hang of the process, I don't think they would take nearly as long the second time around. These cookies have a light crispy shell, with a soft chewy center that is unlike any other cookie. Then you add the biscoff filling and they are irresistible, one of my favorite cookies I've ever baked!

Here are a few tips and tricks that will help you get leggy, crispy, soft, chewy macarons: 

1. Use older eggs, like let your eggs sit in the fridge for a week or two

2. Always weigh everything before starting, it's so much easier

3. I would recommend using a mesh strainer to sift the dry ingredients

4. Let your macarons have time to 'mature' before eating. Meaning, after you bake and fill them, don't eat them for at least 24 hours. Let them sit in the fridge for at least a day. They are good when they come out of the oven but they are 10000x better after you let them sit for a day or two, trust me

Cinnamon Macarons

makes 35 sandwich cookies

for the cookies:

7 ounces powdered sugar
4  onces almond meal/flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
pinch of cream of tarter
3 1/2 ounces granulated sugar

large pastry bag
1/2 inch round pastry tip (I used #12 Wilton tip)

for the biscoff filling:
1 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 c. marshmallow fluff
1/2 c. creamy biscoff
3/4 c. powdered sugar
2-4 tbsp whole milk

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Print the macaron template here and slide this under the parchment paper (don't forget to remove it before you slide the macarons in the oven!). 

Pulse 1/3 of the powdered sugar, cinnamon and all of the almond meal together in a food processor until it forms a fine powder. Pour this mixture into a mixing bowl along with the remaining powdered sugar and sift 3 times. Set aside. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a wire whip attachment, whisk whites and cream of tarter on medium speed until foamy and slightly bubbly. Gradually add granulated sugar until incorporated and scrape down sides of bowl and increase mixer speed to high, whisking until very stiff and glossy. Note: when you pull the beater out of the egg whites, my egg whites stuck to the beater and created a crater in the bowl. This is how stiff you want your egg whites to be. 

Fold in 1/2 of the sifted dry mixture to the egg white mixture and continue until it has all been added and the mixture is smooth. 

Transfer batter to a large pastry bag fitted with small round pastry tip and pipe rounds onto parchment paper using your macaron template. Hold the pastry bag straight up and squeeze straight down and let the batter form a circle on it's on. If you want to smooth the small peaks in the center of the cookies, wet your finger with water and lightly push down on the peaks to ensure smooth, flat macarons. 

Once you have piped all the macarons, light bang the cookie sheets on the counter to release any air bubbles in the cookies. Let cookies stand on cookie sheet for 45 minutes or until they no longer stick to your finger when lightly touched. 

Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway though. Let macarons cool for 2-3 minutes on baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack. Let them cool before filling them.

To make the filling:

Cream the butter, biscoff and marshmallow fluff together. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and scrape down sides of the bowl after each addition. Lastly add milk and beat until smooth and creamy. Pipe filling onto a cooled macaron shell and sandwich with another shell and repeat until all shells are used. 


Macaron recipe from Sur la table

two-ingredient pumpkin muffins

Well it's been awhile! I've been cooking, just not blogging. Can't say I have any great excuse for not sharing any new recipes over the past few months. But hopefully this recipe makes you happy and you forgive me. You only need two ingredients! But if you want them to be extra pumpkin-y, then they are 3 ingredient muffins because you should add some pumpkin pie spice. My boss brought these into work for a breakfast pot luck and on the first bite, I had to know the recipe. They are so moist, like melt in your mouth and had the perfect amount of pumpkin spice. I could not believe when she told me they only had two ingredients in them, they tasted like they had a stick or two of butter in them. I couldn't wait to share the recipe because you can have hot pumpkin muffins in as little as 25 minutes, it's that easy. 

Ok so now you are probably thinking... there is no way that nutty, buttery topping is only two ingredients. You're right. I tricked you a little. The picture shown below is of the muffins with no pecan topping, which are still amazing. But add a little butter, sugar and chopped pecans and they are unbelievably good. 

Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins

makes 19 large muffins

for the muffins:

1 box of spice cake mix

1 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, optional

for the pecan streusel:

1/4 c. chopped pecans

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 c. flour

4 tbsp cold butter

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease or line 19 muffin cups. 

In a medium bowl, beat the pumpkin puree and the spice mix together until well combined. Spoon mixture evenly between 19 muffin cups. 

If making the streusel -- 

Combine chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour and stir together. Add the butter and mix until it resembles a crumble. Sprinkle topping on batter. 

Bake muffins for 20-23 minutes or until set. 

lemon berry crumb cake

My mom gave me the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook for my birthday back in May and I've read it front to back. I love Christina Tosi's baking success story and mostly the fact that she isn't scared to share so many of her kitchen secrets in the cookbook. I won't give any of the secrets away but I will tell you that while the recipes can seem intimidating (example: one of her recipes calls for freeze dried corn), it always results in an incredible dessert. My mom and I made this lemon berry crumble cake that was inspired by Tosi and her layer cake techniques and absolutely loved it. This recipe is not in her cookbook, though I definitely felt more confident in my ability to assemble it after reading the cookbook. The bottom two vanilla cake layers are brushed with warm blueberry preserves, topped with homemade lemon curd, white chocolate berry milk crumbs and raspberry frosting (that tastes like real fruit!). To finish it off, the top cake layer is covered in raspberry frosting and sprinkled with lots of the white chocolate berry milk crumbs. Now go make this cake, it's worth all the work. Oh and the cake will keep in the freezer for up to two weeks, so it's the perfect dessert to make ahead of time for a special occasion.

Recipe here:
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2012/06/27/lemon-berry-crunch-cake/

berry crumble bars

I'm backkk! I know you missed me or at least my treats. Honestly, these berry crumble bars were too good not to share. Berries are the one millionth reason I love summer. When I walked into the grocery store today, I had the choice of raspberries, blueberries, strawberries or blackberries... all in one place! I'm like a pack rat when berry season comes around, I buy a ton and throw them in the freezer to find them a year later and make bars like these. Ha just kidding, I used fresh berries to make these but I will not think twice about making them again this fall with frozen berries. These bars have a buttery, shortbread crust, layered with sweet gooey berries, and a sprinkle of crumble on top... it doesn't get much easier. The hardest part of these bars is waiting for them to completely cool before cutting into them. I say that wait time is only necessary if these bars are going to make it out of your kitchen because I'm not sure mine will. I used blackberries and raspberries in these bars but strawberries or blueberries or any mix of them would work.

Berry Crumble Bars
makes 9x13 pan

for the berry layer:
5 c. berries (any mix of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries)

juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 c.)

1/4-1/2 c. sugar, depending on sweetness of berries

4 tsp of cornstarch (or 8 tbsp of all-purpose flour)

for the crumble:

1 c. sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. cold, unsalted butter -- grated
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line or grease a 9x13 pan.


Stir together berries, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch. Set aside. 


In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, baking powder, and flour. Using a pasty blender or your hands, mix the cold, grated butter and the egg into the flour mixture until it is crumbly. Spread half of this mixture in the 9x13 pan and pat down. Evenly spread the berry mixture over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining flour/butter mixture on top of the berry layer. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until berries are bubbly and crust is slightly golden. Cool bars completely before cutting into squares.


And make sure to check out the crumble creations from the lovely bloggers listed below, we started a recipe club last month and will be picking a new recipe each month to each make our own way!

Parsley Sage at The Deep Dish: http://psdeepdish.blogspot.com/

Maureen at the Orgasmic Chef: http://www.orgasmicchef.com/

Matt at Grad School Chef: http://www.gradschoolchef.com/

Claire at Simply Sweet Justice: http://www.simplysweetjustice.com

Adapted recipe from: Erica's Sweet Tooth

italian cream cupcakes

Italian cream cake is what I ask my mom to make me for my birthday or really any special occasion. It's my absolute favorite. My mom always uses this Cooking Light Italian creme cake recipe but whenever I try to make it myself, it never turns out quite as good as hers. So I decided if I was going to make Italian cream cake myself, I wanted to try a different recipe to see how it compared. I found this Italian cream cupcakes recipe from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen that uses cream of coconut in the cupcakes and the frosting. For the first 20 years of my life I hated coconut and now it seems like I'm trying to make up for lost time because I can't seem to get enough now, the more coconut the better. I'd never used cream of coconut before and was curious so I decided to go for it. These cupcakes were a completely different flavor than my mom's Italian cream cake because of all the added coconut but they still turned out amazing. But that might not be saying much because I would eat almost anything sprinkled with toasted coconut and pecans!

Italian Cream Cupcakes

makes 24 cupcakes

for the cupcakes: 

1 box French Vanilla cake mix

1 stick of butter, melted

4 eggs

1/2 c. cream of coconut (I found it in the Hispanic section of my grocery store)

1/2 c. water

3/4 c. pecans, finely chopped

1 1/2 c. sweetened shredded coconut

for the frosting:

1 stick of butter, slightly softened

8 oz block cream cheese, softened

4 tbsp cream of coconut

3 c. powdered sugar

for the topping:

1 c. sweetened shredded coconut 

1/2 c. pecans

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line or grease 24 muffin cups.

In a medium bowl, combine cake mix, butter, eggs, cream of coconut and water. Beat on low speed for about a minute and then increase speed to medium high and beat for another minute. Fold in coconut and pecans. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the toothpick test comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool before frosting.

In a clean medium bowl, beat butter, sugar, cream cheese and cream cheese until combined. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat on low until combined. Increase mixer speed to high and beat for a minute and a half until frosting is light and fluffy. 

For the toasted coconut and pecan topping -- place the coconut and the pecans in a pan and turn the stove on medium heat. Stir constantly for 10 minutes or until coconut is golden brown. Once topping is toasted, set aside and let cool. Once cool, sprinkle on cupcakes.

And make sure to check out the Italian cream cake creations from the lovely bloggers listed below, we just started a recipe club and will be picking a new recipe each month to each make our own way!

Parsley Sage at The Deep Dish: http://psdeepdish.blogspot.com/

Maureen at the Orgasmic Chef: http://www.orgasmicchef.com/

Matt at Grad School Chef: http://www.gradschoolchef.com/

Claire at Simply Sweet Justice: http://www.simplysweetjustice.com

chipotle shrimp kabobs

By throwing a Kabobs from Around the World party on Saturday night as part of June's Foodbuzz 24x24, I found a new go-to summer meal. I love anything I can throw on the grill, it makes life so much easier. These chipotle shrimp kabobs were my favorite from the party, the sweet mango and onion cuts some of the spiciness of the chipotle pepper. I decided to try brining the shrimp before marinating it because I read in Cook's Illustrated (best food magazine ever) that it improves the taste and texture of the shrimp. I used salt and sugar in the brine because the salt helps improve the texture and the sugar adds flavor and as Cook's Illustrated puts it "promotes better browning." I'm not sure the brining made a huge difference but the shrimp did turn out great so I'll give partial credit to the brining and partial credit to the delicious marinade.

Chipotle Shrimp Kabobs
makes 20-30 small kabobs, depending on size of shrimp


for the brine: 
1 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used frozen but fresh works too)
1 cup of water
2 cups of ice
1/4 c. kosher salt
1/4 c. brown sugar

for the marinade:
1/8 cup packed brown sugar 
1 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped plus 1/8 cup adobo sauce 
3 garlic cloves, minced 
1 tablespoons water 
1 tablespoons lime juice 
1/2 tablespoon olive oil 
1/8 teaspoon salt 

1 small sweet onion, cut into chunks
1  mango, cut into cubes 
skewers (soak in water for at least 30 minutes before assembling kabobs) 

 To make the brine:
Place thawed shrimp in water, sugar, salt mixture and refrigerate for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from brine and set aside.

To make the marinade:
In a small saucepan, bring brown sugar, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, water, lime juice, olive oil and salt to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool completely. 


Transfer cooled marinade mixture to a large resealable plastic bag. Add the shrimp; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

To make the skewers:
Layer mango cube, onion chunk and shrimp on skewers. Repeat until you have about two inches free on each end of the skewer.Grill for 6 minutes, turning them once time or when the shrimp turn light pink. 


Recipe from: Taste of Home

foodbuzz 24x24: kabobs from around the world (and beer too!)

This month Foodbuzz chose to sponsor my Kabobs from Around the World party idea! I had so much fun hosting a Foodbuzz 24x24 party last August and couldn't wait to do it again. Foodbuzz 24x24 is where 24 food bloggers each host a dinner party or in this case a kabob party on the same day and share their parties on each of their blogs. I've always loved trying foods from around the world and by making bite- sized kabobs to represent flavors from different countries, you get a chance to taste travel to six different countries in one meal! To make the party a little more fun, I stocked up on beers from around the world to pair with each of the kabobs. If you decide to throw a similar party, I'd recommend having small drink glasses and arranging them into a beer flight so you can pair each mini kabob with the beer from that country. All the kabobs turned out great, but I'd say the favorite of the night was the Mexican kabob that layered chipotle shrimp with sweet onion and mango. Below is a list of all the kabobs I made for the party and I'll be sharing the recipes this week. 

Pictured--top left to right:

Mexico: chipotle shrimp with sweet onions and mango -- paired with Dos Equis

Greece: vegetable souvlaki served with homemade hummus -- paired with Aris beer

Thailand: mango chicken -- paired with Chang beer

USA: low country shrimp boil kabobs -- paired with Abita Golden beer

Jamaica: jerk chicken and pineapple -- served with Red Stripe beer

Lebanon: kafta beef kabobs served with tzatziki sauce

Here's a closer look at each kabob:

And can't forget the beer: 

 I'll be posting the recipes for these kabobs throughout the week, so check back!

oatmeal peanut butter cup carmelitas

From the moment I meet someone, I want to know what they do, what their favorite restaurant is, what they ate for lunch and the list goes on. I've realized I mostly post my favorite foods, tell you I love them (which I really do) and leave you with a recipe. So this time I'm leaving you with a recipe and a little extra.

My family moved around a lot when I was little. I was born in Nashville, TN, moved to Singapore for two years, then to Montreal, Canada and by the time I was 8 years old we settled in Raleigh, NC. Now I live and work in Charlotte, NC

I studied abroad in Melbourne, Australia during college and day dream from my desk at least once a week about the Whitsunday Islands

I wear a lot of black and grey, like a lot

I don't drink coffee

My all -time favorite desserts are oatmeal cookies (no raisins) and berry cobbler with ice cream

I talk to my mom every day, most likely multiple times a day

I can never have enough nail polish

I hate mayonnaise, olives and mushrooms

I sadly love Lifetime movies (especially True Movie Thursday's)

My favorite TV show is The Good Wife

My favorite restaurant is Mellow Mushroom

I play in Excel all day, everyday (except the weekends)

And as I'm typing these, all thoughts circle back to food...welcome to my life!

Ok now to these bars. I just bought an individual squares brownie pan and couldn't wait to use it. These peanut butter cup carmelitas are made with an oat crust base, topped with a gooey peanut butter caramel made with sweet condensed milk and crunchy peanut butter and then sprinkled with oat topping, peanut butter cups and chocolate chips. Served warm and slightly melty... it doesn't get much better! Also, this recipe is simple to double if you want to make a 9x13 pan instead of an 8x8.

Peanut Butter Cup Carmelitas
makes 8x8 pan

1/2 butter, melted
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c. old fashioned or quick cooking oats (I used old fashioned)
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c. peanut butter (I used crunchy)
1/2 can sweetened condensed milk
4 peanut butter cups, chopped
1/2 c. milk chocolate chips (I used mini's)

Preheat oven to 350°F. 


Spray or line with parchment paper an 8x8 baking pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together melted butter, brown sugar, baking soda, oatmeal, flour and salt until it's crumbly. Set 1 cup of this mixture aside. Pour remaining mixture in the bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown.

In a separate small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk. Once the crust is done baking, evenly pour and spread this peanut butter/condensed milk mixture over the top of the warm crust. Evenly sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of crumbly oat mixture you set aside and sprinkle chopped candy and chocolate chips on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until it doesn't jiggle in the middle.

biscoff cookie dough bites

I have had an unopened container of Biscoff sitting in my pantry since Christmas. I had been searching for it the past year in Charlotte with no luck but finally found it in California when I was visiting my parents over Christmas. I think I did a little dance in the middle of the Whole Foods aisle when I found it, that stuff is not easy to get your hands on! So once I got home, I pushed it to the back of my pantry to save for a special occasion since I felt 99% sure it wouldn't show up in Charlotte anytime soon. And then, a few weeks ago... I found the creamy and crunchy versions of Biscoff at Wal-Mart! Of all places! So now that I know I have access to an unlimited supply of Biscoff I decided to break into the jar I had from Christmas. I wouldn't have used any of the Biscoff until I knew I could easily find more. Just like I don't want to wear my favorite sandals too often because I know when they get worn out I won't be able to find them again. Tell me I'm not the only one that thinks like this. 

For all of you that can't find Biscoff, Trader Joe's started selling a cookie butter that is very very similar. And for those of you that don't have a Trader Joe's near you, I'm sorry! But you can order Biscoff online. It's worth searching out, so delicious and addicting. If you can manage to not eat the entire Biscoff jar by the spoonful then you have to try these cookies. These cookie dough balls are perfectly undercooked. I love the baked cookie chewy exterior and the cookie dough middle, can't get much better! And the fact that they are bite sized, makes it that much easier to justify eating half the batch. 

Biscoff Cookie Dough Bites

makes 30 cookie dough bites, using a 1 inch cookie scoop

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

6 tbsp butter, softened

1/2 c. biscoff spread (you could use peanut butter if you don't have biscoff)

1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed

1/4 c. granulated sugar

 2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 c.semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini's)

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter, biscoff, and sugars together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat together until combined. Add the remaining half of the flour mixture and mix until the dough just comes together. Stir in chocolate chips. Scoop into balls using a 1 inch cookie scoop or use your hands to roll the dough into balls. Place cookie balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8-11 minutes. Let cool and set on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. 

Note: the cookies will seem under baked when they come out of the oven, don't worry they will set up! 

Recipe adapted from: The Novice Chef

caramelized onion, bacon & gruyere cheese monkey bread

I feel like I haven't been in my kitchen in forever. Sadly, I think it's mostly due to the fact that I've been lazy but I did get a chance to think up some super delicious recipes. This savory monkey bread is my absolute favorite, I couldn't wait to share! I'd sadly never heard of monkey bread until this past year, much less tried it. I'm not sure how I went twenty-three years without ever trying it considering I'm a cinnamon sugar freak. I'm going to blame it on my parents as I've realized they never introduced me to monkey bread or sausage balls. Have you ever had a sausage ball? It's just bisquick, sausage and cheese, served warm and so addicting. I love and hate when coworkers bring them into work because I have no self restraint. I do have to give my parents some credit though, they have always encouraged me to try new foods so I'm thankful for that!

This savory monkey bread is inspired by well-known baker, Christina Tosi of Momofuku Milk Bar. In her cookbook, she has a recipe for Volcanoes which are large homemade bread bowls filled with caramelized onions, bacon, scalloped potatoes and then stuffed with Gruyere cheese. My family made these for Easter breakfast this year and they were awesome. They just took forever to make from start to finish. There are tons of steps to all of her recipes. Each step is totally worth it in the end but I wanted to find a way to create something similar but easier. This savory monkey bread does require some prep work but once you have the onions caramelized, the bacon cooked and the butter melted, it is a quick assembly. I absolutely love the caramelized onion, bacon and Gruyere cheese flavor combination and all of them stuffed inside pizza dough only makes it that much better.

Caramelized Onion, Bacon & Gruyere Cheese Monkey Bread
makes 4 small ramekins

for the monkey bread:
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 tbsp oil
5 strips of cooked bacon, diced
1 1/2 c. Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 can of pizza dough (I used Pillsbury from the refrigerated section of the grocery store)

for the garlic rosemary butter:
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tbsp garlic
2 tsp rosemary, removed from stem

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Melt butter in small pan over medium heat and then add garlic, saute garlic for 2-3 minutes. Add in rosemary and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Brush inside of ramekins or loaf pan with this garlic rosemary butter mixture and then set remaining butter aside.

In a separate pot, over medium-high heat add oil. Once oil is hot, add in onions and cook for 20-25 minutes or until they are golden brown, stirring every 4-5 minutes. Set onions aside.

Pull off large marble-sized pieces of pizza dough and flatten each one. Then place a small amount of onions, bacon pieces, and gruyere cheese in the middle of the flattened dough ball. Wrap the dough around the onions, bacon and cheese, pinching well to seal the ball shut.

Lightly brush each pizza ball with the melted garlic/butter/rosemary mixture.

Repeat until all the pizza dough has been used. Add pizza balls to your baking dish of choice. Sprinkle top with gruyere cheese.

For ramekin sized monkey bread, bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is very brown.

Note: If you want to make this into a bundt sized monkey bread, double the recipe and bake for 35-40 minutes.